The Interview From The Other Side of The Desk

This week we learned about the interview process from the prospective of the hiring agent. This was a week of true reflection as I have never been on this side of the 'mirror' so to speak. As a team we each came up with three questions to ask a prospective employer on how he/she interviews prospective employees. Also, in class we reviewed a case study of two candidates for the same job. From the information we discussed, we came to a consensus on who we thought would be best for the job. I found this exercise interesting. At first glance, I did not pick the candidate that the rest of the team members thought would be best. I listened to their reasoning and realized that they made great points. We all agreed on the candidate with the most consistent experience as well as having needed qualities like organization and dedication. 

I do feel that i see the perspective of the employer in a whole new light after this week. The one thing that each of my college classes has taught me is the value of being open minded and understanding other's perspectives. This week was a great lesson in that as well. It is really a matter of stepping into someone else's shoes and understanding their perspective on a situation. In this case, it is understanding the position a manager is put in when hiring new employees. For example, we reviewed behavioral based questions when conducting an interview. As someone being interviewed, I can remember feeling an irritation with these type of questions. However, I now see the value and insight they bring to the manager looking for an employee with the quality and characteristics needed for the job and the environment. 

I will utilize this information by looking at how these behavioral based questions can apply to me everyday. I studied these questions before my job interview so I could have answers ready. I now can make sure that I am living up to the characteristics found in those questions in my every day practice at work and with other employees. For example, when I give my hand-off report in the morning to the day nurse (a much more experienced nurse), he/she tends to make me feel inadequate and sometimes degrades me in front of a patient. I know what she is doing is wrong. Therefore, how I handle it makes me either live up to the characteristics from the behavioral based questions I answered during my interview or hinders my department's patient communication and work environment if I chose to retaliate. 

I will utilize what I have learned this week but living up to the standards and characteristics I portrayed during my interview. I will also have a broader perspective of my managers and their needs as I go about my daily tasks.